Wood dispensing control mechanism



Much 7 s. I.-I OYLM.BERG ETAL Filed April 22, 1968 z I Z? woon msrnnsinecon'rnoL MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR B. Ha -MBERG- ET AL MDMvWv-M ATTORNEYS March a, 1910 B. H L'MBER ETAL 3,498,503

WOOD DISPENSING CONTROL MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22'. 1968United States Patent U.S. Cl. 222-76 4 Claims ABSTRACT 'OF THEIDISCLOSURE .Apparatus for the intermediate storage 'of sawn wood in aplurality of adjacent pockets and for emptying at least one of thepockets onto a conveyor in which a selectively operable control,arrangementis associated with a pivotablebottomof. each pockethThebottom, when released, is adapted to swing into an open position viagravity. A reciprocable locking member is arranged substantiallyperpendicular to the transverse direction of the pocket and has controlmeans cooperable with a control portion on ,each bottornwhereby in afirst position any bottom not arrested by the control arrangement swingsto an open position via gravity and in a second position the opening ofany bottom is prevented regardless of the control arrangementscondition.

The present invention relates to apparatus for handling sawn woodandmore particularly to an installationsuch as a saw mill whereinsawn woodis processed and transported between different machinesor intermediatestorage places. I I

Sawn wood of different grades or dimensions is frequently sortedintoione pocket:or compartment for each grade or dimension and, after apredetermined quantity has been accumulated or at a predetermined time,the entire contents of one or more pockets or compartments is thentransferred -to a transport means such as-a conveyor or a vehicle.

More specifically, the invention relates to new and improved selectivelyopenable bottom means for intermediate storage pockets or compartmentsof the type described, including selectively operable arresting andreleasing means for each individual openable bottom and a common controlmeans for all of the bottoms of the pockets or compartments in one groupof such pockets or compartments.

Devices of the type initially described are known in which the bottomclosure of each pocket may be selectively opened either manually or bypower means such as a motor. Hydraulic and pneumatic assemblages havealso been used for accomplishing this purpose. To date the usualpractice has been to employ a separate operating means for each of thepockets or compartments but this technique has proven to be expensive aswell as unreliable.

In the event that a single operating member is used it is only possibleto operate one pocket or compartment at a time which, for someapplications is not acceptable.

The object of this invention is, therefor, to provide an apparatus ofthe type described in which one or more of the pockets or compartmentsmay be emptied selectively and simultaneously employing but one sourceof motive power common to all of the pockets or compartments.

According to the invention, each of the pockets or compartments isprovided with a door like pivotable bottom component and anelectromagnetic arresting and releasing member co-operable with thebottom component, the bottom components being arranged to swing or pivotinto an open position due to the effect of gravity acting upon 3,498,503Patented Mar. 3, 1970 the bottom component per se or on the sawn wood acI cumulated in the respective pockets or compartments, and areciprocable locking member common to all of the pockets or compartmentsand which extends substantially perpendicular to the transversedirection of the pockets or compartments and is provided with controlmeans cooperable with the bottom component of each pocket so that whenthe reciprocable locking member occupies a first position, any bottomcomponent which is not arrested by the electromagnetic member will befree to swing into an open position under the influence of gravity, anda second position in which any opening of the bottom components isprevented, regardless of the condition of the electromagnetic members. I1

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become more readilyapparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment of the invention and annexed drawings, inwhich drawings:

FIGURE 1 is -a side elevational view with certain parts being shown insection of an apparatus embodying the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a view taken along the line IIII, and

FIGURE?) is a view generally similar to FIGURE 1 illustrating theapparatus during an unloading operation. The present apparatus includesa plurality of adjacent substantially parallel pockets or compartments 1of ap proximately rectangular cross section. The pockets are divided orseparated from one another by vertical partition means constituted byvertically disposed bars 2 the lower ends of which are affixed totransverse horizontal members 30f triangular. cross section. The bottomof each pocket 1 is defined by a plurality of bars 4 which are securedat one end to a shaft 5 having a reduced portion 6 at'either end withthe reduced portion 6 being journaled in bearings 7 as illustrated-inFIGURE 2. In proximity to the endsof the shaft 5 are located controlmeans 8 and arms 9 and it will be noted that the armsv9 incline upwardlyfrom the shaft and are provided with metal plates 10 at their upper freeends. The plates 10 function as armatures for electromagnets 11 whichare secured to the transverse horizontalmembers 3.

A horizontal shaft 12 is arranged directly below the control means 8 atthe opposite ends of the pockets or compartments 1 (FIGURE 2). Theshafts 12 are parallel with the direction of movement or the transportdirection of a conveyor 19 which moves below the pockets and the shafts12 are journaled at each end in bearings 13. Each shaft 12 isreciprocable by means of a hydraulic or pneumatic assemblage 14, thepiston of which is connected to the shaft 12 in any suitable andconvenient manner. In the event of a power failure, the shaft 12 may bereciprocated by a manually operable handle 21 which is provided with afixed pivot 22 at one end thereof and is slidably attached to the shaft12 by suitable members 23 at an intermediate location as clearlyillustrated in FIG- URE 3. The shaft 12 carries a control member 15 foreach pocket or compartment 1 and such control member is defined by acylindrical sleeve 16 having two protruding members or ears 17 betweenwhich a contact roll 18 is arranged with the contact roll 18 beingco-operable with the control means 8.

In the event it is desired to release the sawn Wood held in temporarystorage in a pocket such as denoted 20 in FIGURE 1 and transfer suchwood to the conveyor 19, the apparatus will initially be in thecondition illustrated in FIGURE 1. In this condition each electromagnet11 is energized and holds the corresponding plate 10 thereby preventingthe shaft 6 from rotating and maintaining the bars 4 in an essentiallyhorizontal closed orientation. The magnet or magnets 11 corresponding tothe pocket or pockets to be emptied are supplied with a deenergizingpulse in a known manner from a convenient switching means. The pulsewill cause the magnet or magnets to become inoperable for retaining theplate or plates 10 and consequently gravity acting upon the bars 4and/or the sawn wood resting on the bars tends to force the barsdownwardly into an open vertical position.

This, however, cannot occur so long as the shafts 12 remain in theposition illustrated in FIGURE 1. If the shafts 12 are displaced ormoved axially to the position illustrated in FIGURE 3, the contact rolls18 no longer prevent the control means from moving. Consequently, theentire bottom including the arm 9 turns in a counterclockwise directionto the position disclosed in FIGURE 3 where the bottom is open and sawnwood drops or falls onto the conveyor 19.

Upon the pocket or pockets being emptied, the shafts 12 are returned totheir initial position toward the left in FIGURE 3 and all magnet coilare again supplied with current so that the apparatus will assume thecondition illustrated in FIGURE 1. Immediately thereafter a newoperation cycle may be started if required or it may be delayed as longas necessary.

In the event of a power failure during operation, the magnets arearranged to be switched into a secondary circuit including an auxiliarysource of current such as an accumulator 24 in a fashion which is ofcourse, well known per se.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the presentapparatus permits a selective simultaneous discharge of the contents ofone or more of all of the pockets or compartments 1 as a consequence ofa deenergizing pulse being fed to one or more or all of theelectromagnets and a subsequent displacement of the shaft 12.

This order of operation is preferable inasmuch as the contact rolls 18are then able to restrain the movement of the floor and prevent anypossible damage to the mechahism which could result from a suddenrelease of the eleetromagnets and then immediate and unrestrained dropof the bottom of the pocket or compartment. It is also desirable thatthe bars 4 be provided with a broad V- shaped vertical section asillustrated in the drawings. This results in a more rugged design andimparts a horizontal component of movement to the sawn wood in thedirection of the movement of the conveyor 19.

By making the shafts 12 coaxial with the pistons of the hydraulic orpneumatic assemblies a very simple and eflicient design is obtained. Thetriangular vertical member 3 imparts a suitable form to the bottom ofthe pockets or compartments and a sturdy and rugged attachment for theelectromagnets.

What We claim is:

1. In an apparatus for the intermediate storage of sawn wood in aplurality of adjacent pockets and for emptying at least one of thepockets onto a transporting means located below the pockets, meansdefining a pivotable bottom for each pocket, a selectively operablecontrol arrangement including an electrically operable electromagneticarresting and releasing means associated with the bottom of each pocket,said bottom being adapted, when released to swing into an open positionunder the influence of gravity, at least one reciprocable locking memberarranged substantially perpendicular to the transverse direction of thepockets, control means on said reciprocable locking member and a controlportion on the bottom of each pocket with which saidcontrol meanscooperates so that when the reciprocable locking member occupies a firstposition, any bottom not arrested by said electromagnetic means will befree to swing into an open position under the influence of gravity, anda second position in which the opening of any of the bottoms isprevented, regardless of the condition of the electromagnetic member.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said electromagneticarresting and releasing means comprises an armature attached to acomponent of the pivotable bottom and an electromagnet attached to astationary part of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the bottom of eachpocket includes a plurality of bars secured at one end to a pivotableshaft and having their opposite free ends extending in the direction ofmovement of the transporting means, with each bar having a broad,V-shaped vertical longitudinal section 4. The apparatus as claimed inclaim 1 in which said reciprocable locking member comprises a shaftadapted to be reciprocated by a fluid pressure operated assemblagehaving a piston coaxial with the shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,969,152 1/1961 Hennion 221127XR 3,072,295 1/ 1963 Lovette 222-76 3,160,315 12/1964 Stone et a1.221-127 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner R. B. JOHNSON, AssistantExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R.

